Book II in Bergen, starts pg 319

[43r, col. b18]

De casu Mecij Suffocij Superbissimi viri
NExt Romulus with teris al besprent
Vnto John Bochas apperid Metius
Of chere and looke and of his porte ful feynte
His fall declaryng frowards and despitous
And he was callid eke Suffocius
Low of byrth and simple in vp growyng
Of Albanes tyl fortune made hym kynge 4270
¶Agayn whos pride þe Romanes gan werrey
fful myghtylie he oppressyng his cuntre
And for kyng Mecuis lyste hym not obey
Þei caste þem fully avengid for to be
Because his byrth was but of lowe degre
And was rysen vp vnto estate royall
Þei þem purposid yeve hym a soden fall
¶Hasty clymyng of pouerte seete on hight
Whan wronge title maketh hym to ascende
With vnware peyse of his own wyght 4280
A soden fall makith hym to descende
Whan he liste not his surquedie attende
ffro whens he cam nor hymselfe to knowe
Tyl godde and fortune his pompe hath ouerþrowe
¶ffor þis Mecius of presumpcion
Thought agayn Romanes his pride myght availe
Gan werre agayn þem by rebellion
Was not ferful þeire noblesse to assaile
Tyl on o a day was signyd a bataile
Both þeir hastys within a felde to make 4290
To take þeire parte were it of soure or swete
¶That tyme in Rome reignyd hastilius
A manlie man and a ful worthi knyght
Betwene hym concludid and kynge Mecius.
They tweyn to mete in stele armyd bright
ffor both bataileus to trie oute þe right
By iuste accorde and þerfro not varie
Þe partie venquesshid to be tributarie
¶And holy put hym in subieccion
With intretyng or any more delay 4300
And finallie for shorte conclusioun
Kyng Hastilius þe triumphe wan þat day
Þat Albanes ne couth not say no nay
But þat Romanes is put is in memorie
By singler bataile hadde wanne þe victor[ie]
¶Thus haddde Romanes fyrste possessioun
Of Albanes to obey þem and to drede
Mecius yolden and sworn vnto þe town
Neuer to rebell for fauour nor for mede
But for he was double founde in dede 4310
Of his assuranuce and fals to þeir [cite]
He was chastisid anon as ye shal s[e]

[43v, col. a]
¶Agayn Fidenates a cuntre of Italie
Kynge Hastilius for þeire rebellion
Caste he wolde mete þem in batail
ffor comyn profite and for defencion
Both of his cite and of his roiall town
And for to afforce his partie in werkyng
Of Albanes he sent vnto þe kynge
¶To com in haste with his hole cheualrie 4320
An tarie not in no maner wyse
But make hym stronge to susteine his partie
Lyke his beheste as ye haue herde devye
But kyng Mecius ful falshe gan practise
A sleightie treson and a couerte wyle
Agayn his promisse þe Romanes to begyle
¶Yit he ontewarde pretendyng to be true
Cam to þe felde with a ful grete meny
Lyvyng in hope to se som chaungis newe
Þat he on Rome myght avengid be 4330
And specialli þat he myght se
Kyng Hastilius of froward fuls envie
Þat day outrayd with all his chevalrie
¶But whan he sawe þe Romanes enbateld
And ffyndenate on þat oþer syde
Their wardes redy for to haue assaylid
He couertlie did on an hyll abyde
And to nere fro liste not go nor ride
Nor his preson put in Ieopretie
But who was strengest to holde on þat partie 4340
¶Where of Romanes full fell in suspeccion
Of Kyng Mecius whan þei toke hede
Tyll Hastilius of high discrecion
Thurgh his knyghthode put þem oute of drede
And gan dissimul of Mecius þe falshede
And to comfort his knyghtis of intent
Sayde what he did by his assent
¶He was ful loth þat his cheualrie
Shulde knowe þe effecte of Metius treson
Which cause myght in all or in partie 4350
fful grete hyndryng by som occasion
To deme in hym falsnesse or treson
Yit of trouth þe story berth witnesse
All þat he ment was vntrouth and falsnesse
¶Thus of manuhode and of high prudence
He to his knyghtis gave hert and hardynesse
Made þem set on by so grete violence
Þat he þe felde gate of high prowesse
On ffidenates brought in so grete distresse
And so outrayed in force on euery syde 4360
Be for þe Romanes þat þei ne durste abyde
¶And whan Mecius saw þem þus ontrayed
By maner of feynyd fals gladnesse
Loke as he had in hert be well apayd
To Hastilius anon he gan hym dresse
Hymself reioysyng by a conntrefet lyknesse
And for his menyng pleynlie was conceyvid
So as he cam right so he was receyvid
¶Thus whan Mecius stode in his presence
With a pretence of feithful stablenesse 4370
And all þe apporte of trouth in apparence
He shewed hath his expert doublenesse
Vndre swete hony couerte bitternesse
[Fre]endlie visage with worde smoth and pleyn
[Thouh] mouth and hert departid were on tweyn
¶[B]ut Hastilius hath all his herte espyed
[And] his compassid falsnes in treson
[And] vpon hath iustlie fantasied
[A peyne] accordyng peysid of reson
[Hym to] punissh by a double passion 4380

[43v, col. b]
Thus is to mene like as he was diuidid
A double turment for hym he hath providid
¶This was his dome and his fatall peyne
By Hastilius contryvid of iustise
His fete his armys betwen charietis tweyid
Nakyd and bare þe stoue doth devyse
To be bounde and knyt in travers wyse
Contrariuslie þe haste to drawe and hale
Tyl all his bodie were rent on pecis smale
¶And right as he was cause of ful grete tro[uble] 4390
ffoude ay in dede moste ful of variaunce
Þerefore his peyn was made in maner double
Ryght as hym selfe was double in gouernaunce
ffals of his othe of heste and of suraunce
And double in menyng as he hath preseuerde
So at his nede ende his membris were disseuer[ed]
¶His fete were drawe from þe hede assondre
Þere was no i ioynte with oþere for to abyde
Here was a legge and an arme lay yendre
Thus iche membre from oþer gan diuide 4400
And for his couth holde on oþer syde
By fals pretence to eyþer partie true
Hym to chastise was founde a peyn newe
¶Lo here þe ende of double fals menyng
Whan worde and herte be contrarius
Othe and beheste fals founde in a kyng
Of Albanos as was þis Mecius
O noble princis prudent and vertuus
Lete neuer storie aftyr more recorde
Þat worde and dede shuld in yow discorde 4410
¶ffor kyng Mecius varyyng ^variant^ of corage
Whos inward menyng was euer on treson set
Traynes contryvyng with a fayre visage
His thought his hert with double corde fret
Be callid Bochas deceit and fals baret
Which d vice descryvyng concludith of reson
ffraudo of all fraudis is fals deception
¶ffo with a face flatryng and pesible
Pretendyng trouth undre fals plesaunce
With his panters perilus and terrible 4420
Trappith innocents þat with graynes of myschauce
I mene deceit þat with his contenaunce
ffolke inclineth simple and reccles
And þem werreyth vndre a face of pes
¶Puissaunce of prince famus and honorable
Haue ben deceyvid by þis traitoresse
And folk moste prudent in þeir estate notable
Haue ben disturbid by such fals doublenes

And many a knyght vertuus and prowesse

Haue been intripte for all his high renown 4430
[Be treynes founde off deceit and tresoun]
¶Deceit deceyvith and shall be deceyvid
ffor by deceit who is deceyveable
Þogh his deceits be not oute preceyvid
To a deceyvere deceit is returnable
ffraude quit with fraude is guerdon ^ful^ covenable
ffor who with fraude fraudulent is founde
To a defrauder fraude will ay rebounde
¶What shuld I more of deceit endite
Touchyng þe fraude of kynge Mecius 4440
ffor I me caste now finallie to write
The fatale ende of Hastilius
Which was þe fyrste as saith Valerius
In Rome cite þat auctours knowe
Amonge kyngis þat were purpul hewe
¶But aftyr all þis his triumphall nobles
And mony vncouth knyghtly high emprise
ffortune to appall þe pris of his prowesse

[44r, col. a]
Made hym to be in ful frowarde wyse
Recceles and slough do to do sacrifice 4450
To Jubiter for which sent from hevyn
He was consumpte with soden fyry levyn
¶Here men may seen þe revolucions
Of ffortunes double purviaunce
[T]hough þe moste myghty of Roman champions
[H]aue sodenlie be brought vn to myschaunce
[A]nd þeir outrages to put in remembraunce
[G]rete conquestis turnyd to woo fro ioye
ffor a rebuke I sende þem þis lenvoie
¶Rome remembre of þi fundacion 4460
And of what peple þou toke þi begynnyng
Thy beldyng of fals dissencion
Of slaughter mordir and outragius robbyng
Yevyng to vs a maner knowlegyng
A fals begynnyng auctor determine
Shal by processe com to Ruine
¶Where be þin emperours in moste souereigue of renoun
Kynge exilid for outragius lyvyng
Thy Senators with worthy Scipion
Poetis olde . þi triumphes rehersyng 4470
Þi laureat knyghtis moste statly in ^þeire^ ridyng
Þin aureat glorie þi nobles to illumine
Þus by longe processe brough vn to ruine
¶Wher is now Cesar þat toke possession
ffyrste of þe Empire þe triuphes vsurpyng
Or wher is Lucan þat makith mencion
Of all his conquest by cerius wrytyng
Octauian most solempnelie reignyng
Wher is becom þeir lordeship or þeir reigne ^lyne^
Processe of yeris haue brought it to ruine 4480
¶Wher is þe pales of roial mansion
With a stature clere of golde shynyng
By Romulus wrought and set in þat dongon
Wher is þe temple of cristal bright shynyng
Made half of golde most richeli moustring
Þe heuenlie spheres by compas wrought and lyne
Processe of þeres ^longe^ processe haue brought to ruine
¶Wher is Tullius chese lanterne of þi town
In Rethoric all oþer surmountyng
Morall Senec or prudent saide Caton 4490
In comyn profete all way preferryng
Or rightful Traiane moste iuste ^in^ his demyng
Which on no partie liste not to decline
But longe processe hath brought ^all^ to ruine
¶Wher is þe temple of þi proteccion
Made by virgil moste curius of beldyng
Þe image erecte for euery region
Whan any londe was founde rebellyng
Towarde þat pretie a smal bell herd ryngynge
To þat province þe image did incline 4500
Which by longe processe was brought ^vn^to ruine
¶Wher is all þe grete extorcion
Of Counsellors and prefectis oppressyng
Þe dictatours þe fals collusion
Of decembir þe froward deceyvyng
And of Tribung þe fraudulent werkyng
Of all ichon þe odius ravine
Hath by processe þe brought unto ruine
¶Wher is become þi dommacion
Þe grete tributis þi tresors enrichyng 4510
Þe worlde all hole in þi subieccion
Thy sworde of vengeaunce all peple manacyng

[44r, col. b]
Euer gredie to encrece þi getyng
Noþing by grace whis þat is diuine
Which hath þe brought by processe to ruine
¶In þi moste highest exaltacion
Þi proude tirauneus provincis conq^e^ryng
To godde contrarie by longe rebellion
Goddis goddesse falslie obeyyng
Aboue þe sterrys þi surequedus clymyng 4520
Til olde vengeaunce þi nobles did vntwyne
With new compleynt to shew þi ruine
¶Lay doun þi pride and þi presumpcion
Þi pompos boste þi lordeshippis encresyng
Confesse þin outrage and lay þi boste adoun
Of fals godde pleynlie diffyyng
Lyfte vp þin hert vn to þat heuenli kynge
Which with his blode þi sorowes for to fyne
Hath made þi raunsom to saue þe from ruine
¶ffrom olde Saturne drawe þin affeccion 4530
His golden worlde fulli despysyng
^And from Jubiter make a dig^e^ssion
His sylueryn tyme hertlie despys[ing]^
Resorte agayn with wyl and hole menyng
To hym þat is lorde of þe ordres nyne
Which mekelie died to saue þe fro ruine
¶Þof Mars be myghty in his asse ascension
By influence victorius disposyng
And bright Phebus yevith consolacion
To worldlie princis þeir noblesse avauncyng 4540
fforsake þeir rites and þi fals offryng
And to þat lorde bow adown þi chyne
Which shed his blode to saue þe fro ruine
¶Wengid Mercurie chefe lorde and patrone
Of eloquence and of fayre spekyng
fforsake his siuice in þin opinion
And serue þe lorde þat governth al þing
Þe storrid hevyn þe speres eke mevyng
Which for þi sake was crownyd with a spyne
His herte eke percid to saue þe from ruine 4550
¶Caste vp Venus þe fals derision
His fyry bronde hyr flateries reunyng
Of Diana þe transunctacion
Now bright now pale now clere now drapyng
Of blynd Cupido þe fraudulent mokkyng
Of Juno Bachus Proserpnia Lucyne
ffor now but criste may saue þe fro ruine
¶Voide of Circes þe besty all poyson
Of Cirenes þe furius enchauntyng
Lete not Medusa do þe no treson 4560
And fro Gorgones turne þi lokyng
And let Sinderesis haue þe in k kepyng
Þat cryste Ihesu may be þi medicine
Agayn such raskall and saue þe fro ruine
¶Of all fals Idols make abiuracion
To Simulacres do no worshippyng
Make þi resorte to cristis passion
Which may by mercy redresse þin erryng
And by his grace repaire þi fallyng
So þou obey his vertuus discipline 4570
Trust þat he shall restore þi ruine
¶His mercy is surmountyng of foyson
Euer encresith with amenusyng
Buer at þe full iche tyme and iche ceson
And neuer wavith by non eclipsyng
Whan men liste make devoutlie þeir [reknyng]
To lene þeir synne and com to his doctrine
He redy is to kepe þem from ruine
¶O Rome Rome al olde abusion
Of cerimonies falsli disvsyng 4580

[44v, col. a]
Lay þem aside and in conclusion
Crie godde mercy þi trespasis repentyng
Truste he wyll not refuse þin askyng
The to receyve to labours in his vine
Eternallie to saue þe fro ruine
¶O noble prencis of high discrecion
Sith in þis worlde þer is non abydyng
Peysith conscience betwen wyll and reson
While ye haue leyser of hert imagenyng
Ye bere nought c from hens but youre deseruyng 4590
Let þis conceit ay in you þought myne
By example of Rome hough all goth to ruine

4278-4280 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines

4279-4282 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4283-4284 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4284 For godde Bergen prints god
4285-4287 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4288-4289 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4290 For make Bergen prints meete
4300 For With intretyng Bergen prints Withoute entretyng
4300-4303 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4303 For couth Bergen prints koude
4305 For singher Bergen prints synguler
4309-4310 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4311 Last word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4312 Last word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4314-4317 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines, although this is a mistake and it should
instead point to 4316
4321-4324 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines, although this is a mistake and it should
point to 4323
4323 For deuye Bergen prints deuise
4324 For falshe Bergen prints falsli
4325-4326 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4334 For But Bergen prints First
4341 full is subpuncted and corrected to fell for which Bergen prints fill
4347 For he did by his Bergen prints he dede was doon by his
4352-4359 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4360-4361 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4361 For Be for Bergen prints Tofor
4366 For Hymself reioysyng by a conntrefet Bergen prints Hymsilff reioisshyng bacountirfet
4374 Part of first word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4375 First word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4376 Part of first word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4377 First word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4378 First word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen. For upon Bergen prints therupon
4379 First two words are washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4380 First two words are washed away - supplemented from Bergen. For punsh Bergen prints
pun[y]she
4381-4382 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4383-4385 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4390 Part of last word is obscured by mold - supplemented from Bergen
4394 For of suraunce Bergen prints assuraunce
4396 nede is subpuncted and corrected to ende and part of the last word is obscured by mold -
supplemented from Bergen
4398 For to abyde Bergen prints tabide
4399 For yendre Bergen prints yonder
4402-4403 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4403-4404 In Bergen, a pilcrow, followed by the words Bochas ageyn doubilnes and fals symulacion
is found between lines 4403 and 4404
4411 varyyng is subpuncted, and variant written atop it
4412,4414,4415 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these lines
4415 For callid Bochas Bergen prints Bochas called
4417 For ffraudo Bergen prints Fraude
4418 For ffo Bergen prints For
4419-4421 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4421-4422 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4423 For inclineth Bergen prints englueth
4428-4429 A line appears to be missing here. Upon consultation with Bergen, it is the last line of the
stanza missing, which should be number 4431 and read Be treynes founde off deceit and
tresoun
4430 For intripte Bergen prints entriked
4436 ful is written above and between guerdon and couenable
4438-4439 In Bergen, the following is found between lines 4438 and 4439. [Off kyng Hostilius that
first wered purpill hewe consumpt with firy Levene]
4446 For tumphall Bergen prints tryumphal
4448 For to appall Bergen prints tappalle
4451-4452 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4455 For Though Bergen prints How
4458-4459 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4462 For beldyng of Bergen prints bildyng gan off
4463-4464 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4472 For to illumine Bergen prints tenlumyne
4479 reigne is crossed out in red ink, and subpuncted, and lyne written above
4487 þeres is crossed out in red ink, and subpuncted, and longe written above. For þeres longe
Bergen prints that long
4493-4494 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4497 For Þe image Bergen prints Ymages
4499 For pretie Bergen prints part
4504 For Þe dictatours Bergen prints Off dictatours
4505-4506 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4510 For þi tresors enrichyng Bergen prints [enrichyng] thi tresours
4513 For to encrece Bergen prints tencrece
4514 For whis Bergen prints which
4526 For Of Bergen prints Alle and for godde he prints goddis
4532-4533 These lines were forgotten, and added in the margins with symbols marking where they
belong in the main body of the text. The end of the last word in the second line has been
lost, and is supplemented from Bergen
4538,4540,4541 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these lines
4572-4574 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4574 For Buer Bergen prints Ay
4576 Last word is washed away - supplemented from Bergen
4582-4583 A brown-ink rhyming brace joins these two lines
4586 Lenvoie is written to the left of the pilcrow
4590 For nought c from hens Bergen prints nat hen[ne]s